Reviewed by John Daly-Peoples
Skin Hunger by Tatiana Hotere
Presented by Hout Houz Creative and Todd the Creative
Q Theatre
Until November 11
Reviewed by John Daly-Peoples
Tatiana Hotere’s Skin Hunger is a semi autobiographic exploration of the aftermath of Eva’s partners death and the impacts on her sexual, social and personal life. Forty something, Brazilian born, Catholic Eva has married a Māori, had two children, lost her husband and now three years on is trying to deal with her sexual desires, while still mourning her husband
Her situation raises the issue of guilt or rather Catholic guilt, not helped by her puritanical sister Julia who espouses the Catholic line on sex and marriage as well as a her more lecherous friend Lorraine who, among other thing, helpfully orders a box dildos for Eva.
Tatiana Hotere who lost her own husband tragically has written the play as well as playing the sole role. If this was playing at a comedy club she would be billed as one of the great stand-up comedians. If she was performing at a grief counselling conference she would be considered as a perceptive specialist and any newspaper or magazine would welcome her writing a sex advice column.
She is able to write intelligently and perceptibly with wit about death, guilt and sex, linking the past and present with skill and compassion.
As well as presenting the complex character of Eva she also takes on the voices of Julia and Lorraine along with those of her mother, the parish priest and an assortment of other characters who interfere with her life.
She manages the characters seamlessly, giving them each a distinct personality with various tones and body language. Through these other conversations Hotere / Eva is able to deal with the endless platitudes she has to deal with about the loss of a partner and the need to move on.
She also encounters the social and religious issue of the Madonna / Whore concept that many women face.
At the heart of all these conflicts and conundrums is Eva’s search for the plays title – Skin Hunger, the desire to physically touch another person in her quest for a fuller life.
The play shifts continuously between comedy and serious commentary, with Hotere crying, laughing, screaming at her predicaments. Sometimes she is completely caught up in herself while at other times she is totally engaged with the audience, even sharing her dildos.
There are some brilliant sequences as when she talks to her various dildos who all have special characteristics and her conversations with God who she realises is not much help.
It’s a play which God should go and see; he might learn something about how his churches could help women.
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